Alexander King Family

KING, SHARP, PUTNEY, HARRIS, UMLAND, LYNDE, ROSZELL, PAWLAK, NICHOLS, MC NAB, BRUMLEY, ALEN, SEGGERMAN

Posted By: Mary Beth Seggerman
Date: 3/7/2007 at 08:20:29

Alexander King Family

Alexander (Alec) King, was the son of Samuel King and Susan Sharp King, who emigrated to the US from Ireland in 1857. The Samuel Kings lived in the state of New York, for two years, in Illinois, for thirteen years where Alec was born, and then moved to Grundy County, Iowa, in 1872. Alec King married Susan Elizabeth (Lizzie) Putney, the daughter of Robert Putney and Catherine Harris Putney, who emigrated to the US from England in 1870, and moved to Grundy County, Iowa, in 1871.

The Alec Kings moved to a farm near Harris in 1895.

At the same time, Mrs. King’s sisters, Isabel (Belle) Umland, Laura Umland and Catherine (Kit) Lynde moved to Harris. Their brother, Ralph, and their widowed mother moved to Harris a few years later.

The Alec Kings had five children, one of whom died in infancy. Their daughter, Bertha, born in Grundy County, married Joe Roszell, a long time rural mail carrier in Harris. The Joe Roszells were lifelong residents of Harris, where their five children grew up. Bernard lives in Indianola, Iowa, Bruce in San Jose, California, Reginald in Sioux City, Gwendolyn Pawlak in Phoenix, Arizona, and Phyllis Nichols in Pleasant Hills, California. Sam King, the eldest son, was born southeast of Harris, in 1896, and married Belle McNab, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James A. McNab. They lived in Sioux City for many years, and Sam King now lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, near his two sons, Robert and Richard.

Kenneth King, born on the family farm east of Harris, married Jenny Brumley, and until his death, ran a barber shop in the building which also housed the Worthington Cream Station, which was run by his father, Alec, from 1917, until his death in 1928, and then by his mother, Lizzie, and his wife Jenny. Jenny passed away during 1988. Their daughters, Shirley and Sharon, live in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, respectively.

Grace King was born in 1905, on the family farm east of Harris. She married Ray Alen, who taught in the Harris High School. They were long time residents of Sioux City, Iowa, and both passed away in 1988. Both Bertha Roszell and Grace Allen were known for their outstanding musical talent as pianists. Grace Allen’s daughter, Mary Beth Seggerman, lives in Kingsley, Iowa

Submitted by Mary Beth Seggerman.